- L20 minutes (20 frames)
T CrB (T Corona Borealis) is a star in the constellation Corona Borealis, known under the unofficial name Blaze Star. It is one of the few known recurrent novae, attracting attention due to its unique nature.
At normal brightness, the star has a brightness of about 10m, which is at the limit of visibility for typical binoculars. During observations, two significant outbursts were recorded:
- May 12, 1866 - the star reached a luminosity of 2.0m (although according to later data published in 2009, the peak value could have been 2.5 ± 0.5m).
- February 9, 1946 - the brightness increased to 3.0m.
Even at its peak luminosity, when the star reached a magnitude of 2.5m, it was second in brightness only to 163 stars in the night sky. At 2.0m, T CrB was among the brightest stars, ranking 109th.
The T CrB system is a spectro-binary star consisting of a red giant and a white dwarf. The white dwarf orbits its companion with a period of 227.6 days. It gradually pulls matter from the giant, accumulating it on its surface. When the mass of accumulated matter reaches a critical point, a thermonuclear fusion explosion occurs, accompanied by a burst of brightness.
Outburst Predictions
The cycle of repeated novae for the T CrB system is approximately 80 years, and the next event is actively studied.
- In April 2016, Sky & Telescope magazine reported a steady increase in the brightness of the star - from February 2015, its brightness increased from 10.5m to 9.2m. Similar behavior was observed in 1938, several years before the 1946 outburst.
- According to initial calculations, the outburst was expected between February and September 2024, but the event did not occur during this period.
- The latest forecasts for the end of 2024 indicate that the outburst is most likely to occur in 2025, although earlier estimates by N.F.H. Knight and W.M. Lindley, made back in 1946, predicted an outburst in 2026-2027.
Significance of observations
T CrB remains the object of close attention of astronomers. Observations of its behavior provide important information about the mechanisms of accretion in binary systems, and also help to better understand the evolution of white dwarfs and red giants.
The next outburst will be an important event that will not only confirm theoretical models, but also inspire a new generation of amateur astronomers.
Visibility chart of T CrB (T Corona Borealis) during the day
| Date | Moon Phase | Exposure | CCD Temperature | Gain | Offset | Filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- 2023ixf•
- 40 Eri•
- Abell 74•
- Artemis A868 SA•
- a Canis Minoris•
- C 2020 R4 ATLAS•
- C 2020 T2 Palomar•
- C 2021 S3 (PANSTARRS)•
- Haumea (2003 EL61)•
- HCG 68•
- HCG 92•
- IC 1318B•
- IC 1396•
- IC 1795•
- IC 1805•
- IC 1848•
- IC 1871•
- IC 3322A•
- IC 342•
- IC 4015•
- IC 405•
- IC 417•
- IC 434•
- IC 443•
- IC 4703•
- IC 5070•
- IC 5146•
- IC 63•
- M 1•
- M 101•
- M 103•
- M 109•
- M 13•
- M 15•
- M 27•
- M 3•
- M 33•
- M 42•
- M 45•
- M 5•
- M 51•
- M 57•
- M 63•
- M 64•
- M 74•
- M 76•
- M 81•
- M 82•
- M 86•
- M 87•
- M 94•
- M 97•
- NGC 147•
- NGC 1491•
- NGC 1499•
- NGC 1579•
- NGC 1961•
- NGC 2146•
- NGC 2239•
- NGC 2403•
- NGC 281•
- NGC 4236•
- NGC 4565•
- NGC 4631•
- NGC 507•
- NGC 508•
- NGC 5866•
- NGC 5907•
- NGC 6503•
- NGC 6823•
- NGC 6888•
- NGC 6946•
- NGC 6992•
- NGC 6995•
- NGC 7000•
- NGC 7023•
- NGC 7129•
- NGC 7217•
- NGC 7331•
- NGC 7380•
- NGC 7538•
- NGC 7635•
- NGC 7640•
- NGC 7822•
- NGC 891•
- NGC 896•
- NGC 925•
- PGC 54559•
- Sh2-155•
- Sh2-168•
- Sh2 103•
- Sh2 109•
- Sh2 132•
- T CrB•
- UGC 6930•
- V1405 Cas•
- Vesta A807 FA•